Japan and South Korea Tour, 15 Days

Meet the tour staff at the Departures terminal of Istanbul Airport. After ticket and passport checks, you fly to Seoul, the capital of South Korea, on a scheduled Turkish Airlines service.

Flight: Istanbul (IST) 17:00, Seoul (ICN) 08:35 (+1). You spend the night on board.

You land in Seoul at 08:35 local time. Entry to South Korea is with a K-ETA pre-approval, and your passport is stamped.

You are met at the airport and a private car takes you to the hotel. The rest of the day is free. You stay at the Ramada Hotel Seoul Dongdaemun 4-star or similar.

After breakfast at the hotel, you travel to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) between North and South Korea. United Nations peacekeepers still serve in the area. Passports are required at the entrance and security checks are strict.

Stops include Imjingak Peace Bridge, the Bridge of Freedom where prisoners of war crossed back, and the Korean War memorial. Your guide explains how the war unfolded and how the peninsula was divided.

The guide also covers the Turkish Brigade's battles against the Chinese People's Army at Kunuri, which today lies in North Korea. Turkey fought beside UN forces with 15,000 soldiers and lost 721. You return to Seoul afterwards and stay at the Ramada Hotel Seoul Dongdaemun 4-star.

After breakfast, the Seoul city tour begins.

Namsangol Hanok Village covers 7,934 square metres in the Namsan area. Its traditional Korean houses date from the Joseon Dynasty and have been preserved to this day.

On Namsan Hill, N Seoul Tower stands 262 metres high. The view takes in the Han River, the city lights and the modern skyline.

The last stop is Gangnam, made famous by Psy's song "Gangnam Style". It is known for K-Pop culture, large stores and modern restaurants. In the free time you can stay in Gangnam or return to the hotel. You stay at the Ramada Hotel Seoul Dongdaemun 4-star.

You leave the hotel early for a transfer to the airport. Asiana Airlines flight OZ112 departs Seoul at 06:55 and lands in Osaka at 09:00 local time.

The rest of the day is free. You can explore Osaka's shopping and entertainment districts at your own pace.

After an early breakfast, you travel from Osaka to Kyoto, the former capital of Japan.

In Kyoto you visit Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion. It was built for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu according to Zen belief. The building is covered in gold leaf and surrounded by gardens. Lunch is a buffet of Japanese dishes.

Nara is a UNESCO World Heritage site. At Todaiji Temple, the bronze Buddha called Daibutsu is 15 metres high and weighs 500 tonnes. In Nara Park, hundreds of deer roam freely. You can feed them and take photos.

In the evening you return to Osaka and stay at Noku Osaka. Meals: breakfast and buffet lunch.

In the morning you leave Osaka for Kobe. The road passes countryside, mountains and small towns. In Kobe you visit the historic Ikuta Shrine, then continue to Hiroshima.

Hiroshima Castle was first built in the 1590s, destroyed by the atomic bomb in the Second World War and rebuilt in 1958. Today it is a museum on the city's history.

You also see other historic and cultural sites. The Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) and the Peace Memorial area are viewed from the outside. You stay at APA Hotel Hiroshima. Breakfast is included.

After breakfast you travel to Kitakyushu, a port city in Fukuoka Prefecture with a long industrial and historical past.

Kokura Castle carries traces of Japan's feudal era. It saw several wars and was rebuilt a few times. Today it is a museum on the region's history.

The Mojiko Retro district keeps the Japanese architecture of the early 20th century. The old railway station and harbour buildings give it a nostalgic feel. You stay at APA Hotel (Kitakyushu). Breakfast is included.

After breakfast you move on to Hakata, the largest city in Fukuoka. A panoramic city tour introduces its history and culture.

Lunch is at a local restaurant. Hakata is known for tonkotsu ramen, mentaiko and motsunabe.

Dazaifu Tenman-gu Shrine is dedicated to Tenjin, the god of learning. Students visit to pray for exam success. Kushida-Jinja is one of the city's oldest Shinto shrines and plays a key role in Hakata's festivals.

You stay at Fukuoka Bay Hotel 3-star or similar. Meals: breakfast and lunch at a local restaurant.

You leave the hotel early and go to the station. The Shinkansen high-speed train takes you from Hakata to Tokyo. The ride lasts about 5 hours at up to 300 km/h, past countryside, mountains and small towns.

In Tokyo a private vehicle takes you around the city. Stops: Meiji Jingu Shrine, Tokyo Tower, the National Diet Building (Japan's parliament, seen from outside) and Ginza, where there is a break. Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine honouring Emperor Meiji, set in a large forest in the middle of the city.

You stay at Washington Shibuya 3+ (Tokyo).

After breakfast at the hotel, a private coach leaves at 07:30 for the Mount Fuji and Hakone area. The programme lasts the full day.

Fuji 5th Station sits at 2,300 metres and is the closest point you can reach by vehicle. From here you look out over the mountain.

Lunch is traditional Japanese food. Afterwards you go to Lake Ashi in Hakone for a boat tour. The lake fills a volcanic crater and is ringed by pine forest. In the evening you return to Tokyo.

You stay at Washington Shibuya Hotel 3+. Meals: breakfast and Japanese lunch.

After breakfast you travel from Tokyo to Kamakura, a former capital on Tokyo Bay.

The Great Buddha (Daibutsu) is a bronze statue from the 13th century, 13.35 metres high, and the symbol of Kamakura. At Hokoku-ji Temple you take part in a tea ceremony with traditional matcha. In the Kamakura bamboo groves you walk in the quiet of the forest.

In the evening you return to Tokyo and stay at Washington Shibuya Hotel 3+. Breakfast is included.

There is no set programme today. You can explore Tokyo at your own pace.

Suggested stops: Shibuya Crossing, Shinjuku, Senso-ji Temple in Asakusa, Akihabara, Harajuku, Tsukiji Fish Market, and Ueno Park with its museums. You can also shop or look for local food.

You stay at Washington Shibuya Hotel 3+. Breakfast is included.

After breakfast you transfer to the airport. A direct flight takes you from Narita Airport to Istanbul.

Flight: Turkish Airlines, Narita (NRT) 10:00, Istanbul (IST).

The flight ends in Istanbul, and the 15-day journey through South Korea and Japan is complete.